


Tja, ich liebe dich (Well, I love you)

by Gallaxyk__Nathaniel_Dream



Series: Wenn Fieber in dir ist (When fever is within you) [2]
Category: Tanz der Vampire | Dance of the Vampires - Steinman/Kunze
Genre: ??? kinda ???, Enemies to Lovers, Falling In Love, Fluff, Gay, Herbert is caring, Human/Vampire Relationship, Idiots in Love, M/M, Sick Character, Sickfic, Vampire Hunters, Vampires, soft Herbert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:15:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29896161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gallaxyk__Nathaniel_Dream/pseuds/Gallaxyk__Nathaniel_Dream
Summary: The continuation of Was macht dich so blass, bist du krank? (What makes you so pale, are you sick?).Herbert is dedicated to make the young human feel better, all while proving more self-restraint than ever.Alfred on the other hand is finding that he appreciates the vampire's help and care."Professor, they have f e e l i n g s"  (German fans of the play will understand)You all can thank @Yashima for this as they asked for a part two.
Relationships: Alfred/Herbert von Krolock
Series: Wenn Fieber in dir ist (When fever is within you) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2198190
Comments: 3
Kudos: 6





	1. First wake ─ Sage

The soft _clack clack clack_ of shoes in the hallway ripped Alfred from an uneasy sleep. The young assistant tried to blink the stars from his sight and began to faintly wonder where exactly he was.

The door swung open and Herbert stepped into the room. He was pulling a small cart behind himself and tried to be as quiet as possible, closing the door carefully and slowly turning. 

Alfred suffered a minor heart attack at the sight of the Viscount standing in the room. But before he could think himself into a frenzy he remembered the embarrassing events of the night. He was distinctly thankful that the sting in his bottom had already faded and he didn’t have to think about it.

“Chérie? You are awake. How are you feeling?” Herbert pressed a hand to his forehead again. 

It was challenging to speak through the leathery feel of his mouth but Alfred rasped out, “sick.” There was no better description in his brain at the moment, his head swimming with the full effects of the fever.

With a sympathetic look Herbert turned to the cart and reached for a steaming cup. “Here, drink.” He also had an elegant crystal pitcher on the cart and filled a glass with water.

Hesitantly Alfred reached for the steaming cup and sniffed it. To his dismay he found that his sense of smell was terrible and he could barely make out the fragrance at all. His mistrust must have been painfully obvious as Herbert smiled indulgently at him.

“It is just sage tea. It is supposed to help with throat infections and head colds.” He nodded slightly to signal to Alfred that he should drink it. “You will feel better once we got some fluid in you. Go on.”

Alfred obeyed, seeing no flaw in the logic of the vampire. The taste was slightly more palpable than the smell had been and Alfred enjoyed the warm liquid. His dry mouth also felt better and the warm mist on his face was a luxury in the drafty castle. He could get used to this, just maybe not the sickness part.

Herbert smiled brightly at Alfred drinking so eagerly. “Do you want more,” he asked once Alfred let the cup sink, “or would you prefer some cold water?”

It took a moment to comprehend the words and an even longer moment to formulate a coherent response and get his mouth to form the words. “More tea, please.” 

Another smile. “Of course, chérie.” While Alfred savored the second cup Herbert dunked a linen cloth into the bowl of cold water he had brought, wrung it out so it wasn’t dripping anymore and carefully dabbed it over the human’s forehead.

The cold cloth on his skin had Alfred jerking briefly but then he relaxed into the careful touches. It felt good to have his sticky sweat wiped away and his hot skin cooled. He began to realize how sick he really was by how much he enjoyed the treatment. 

Alfred didn’t know when he fell asleep but the cold touches and soft words of Herbert swam through his dreams and he sank into the bed more limply.

With a chuckle Herbert said, “Sweet dreams, Alfred.” He just stayed by his side, reading and ever so often changing the cloth on Alfred’s forehead.


	2. Second wake - Day

When Alfred opened his eyes the next time his thoughts were marginally clearer but his head hurt. He carefully touched his temple and found the edge of the cold cloth on his forehead. He expected Herbert to be by his side within seconds but the room remained quiet and upon opening his eyes he found it empty as well. 

That was weird. Had Herbert gone to collect more appliances? No, the cart still stood by his bedside. He spent a long moment wondering about Herbert's absence before a glint of light from behind the heavy curtains caught his eye. It was day. He had missed the sunrise, sleeping for at least five hours if his calculations were correct. Surely Herbert had gone to the crypt to sleep. Understandable.

Now the ever prevalent question of what to do to pass the time. He didn’t feel like sleeping right now and his head hurt too much to read. He couldn’t even go outside to take a walk as he feared he would pass out before he made it down the stairs.

He was ripped from his thoughts by two pairs of steps in the hallway again. He could make out a voice coming closer, accompanied by the grunts of the hunchback. “Koukol! Satan help me, I will lock you in the cellar if you ruin this. It is my life on the line!” 

The door opened and a bright ray of light fell onto the floor of the room before being covered by a tall figure in a comically wide, azure blue coat. The hunchback pulled the door shut again and Alfred could hear him waddling off. 

Herbert pushed off the hood of the cloak and strode over to his bedside. To Alfred’s surprise the vampire bent down and closed his arms around him. And even more to his surprise he found himself enjoying the contact. When Herbert separated them he put his hands on Alfreds cheeks and pressed a desperate kiss to his forehead. “Oh, I am so sorry, chérie. Forgive me. I went to feed. But I underestimated the time and the sun was already rising.”

From the window a loud banging sound filled the room. Alfred’s head bolted to the sound and he found no light leaking into the room through the slit in the curtains.

“Koukol is putting up panels,” Herbert said explanatorily. “It is for my safety. So I can stay with you during the day without being subjected to the sun. Today was already very risky.”

A warm swell in his heart made Alfred smile at Herbert. “You didn’t have to,” he told the vampire.

That elicited a smile from Herbert in turn. “I know,” he simply stated, “But I wanted to.” For a long moment they just looked at each other with softness in their eyes before Herbert suddenly clapped his hands and whirled away. “I am so sorry, chérie. Do you need anything? Water? Tea? I can heat it up on the fireplace if you want.”

Alfred shook his head. “No, I─ thank you, I don’t need anything at the moment.”

That made Herbert turn around to him again and sit on the bedside. “You must be terribly bored, are you not, chérie?” He placed one hand on Alfreds and carefully caressed the skin. “Would you like me to read to you?”

The offer surprised Alfred. “I don’t want to bother you.” It was true. He surely didn’t want to get on the vampire’s bad side by being annoying. Only Herbert’s fascination with him was currently keeping Alfred safe.

“Oh, but you are not a bother, not at all! Especially when you behave and don’t try to defy me,” Herbert teased with a knowing grin. He gave Alfred’s thigh a soft slap as a reminder.

That made the human blush terribly and he covered his face with his hands.

The bright laugh from Herbert let relief wash over him at the knowledge that the Viscount was not annoyed, but just greatly amused by the incident. Good for him.

Suddenly realization seemed to dawn on Herbert and he beamed at Alfred. “Do you want to bathe? You must feel terrible lying in your own sickness. I have a bath next to my room, there,” he said excitedly and pointed to the door at the far left of the room. 

Alfred nodded. Now that Herbert had said it he really felt disgusting. “You will wait out here, right?” His voice was careful and embarrassed.

“Of course, chérie. We can bathe together when you are healthy again.” He threw the human a wink.

With crimson dusting his cheeks Alfred stammered, “No─ I didn't… That wasn’t what─ I’m going to bathe now!” He hastily fled the room and closed the door of the bathroom.


	3. Last wake - Healthy

On the fourth night Herbert told him bluntly “You are better.” He was correct but the certainty surprised Alfred. The immense confusion was twisting his face and Herbert explained, “I can smell it in your blood. Your body is mostly healthy again.”

Alfred nodded and stretched his limbs. “Yes. I do feel better.” He sat up and found himself eye to eye with Herbert. Embarrassed he scooted away a bit before stammering, “Tha-Thank you. I, um, You… I mean it was very,” he coughed, “Thank you for making me feel better.” He sounded like a small child but he found no better way to express himself without opening that terrifying box in his soul with all his confusing and unholy feelings.

Herbert stroked his cheek lightly and smiled. “Oh but of course, chérie. I could make you feel even  _ better _ though,” he said with a lewd smirk. 

Alfred blushed violently and tried to find a fitting response.

“Chérie, your face is so red and warm,” Herbert observed with faux concern in his voice, his wicked smile betraying the act, “Maybe you still have a temperature, should we check again?”

Now was the moment to put his foot down. “So help me God─” Herbert winced at the word. “If you do that again, I am not going to the ball with you!” He tried to make himself look as threatening as possible. But his expression softened into wonder when he saw the wide-eyed look on Herbert’s face.

“You,” the vampire started, “you are going to the ball with me?”

Alfred nodded disorientedly. “Yes. You, well you asked me. And since I don’t have another partner─ Well, it would have just been rude to decline, and─” 

Herbert threw himself at the human and kissed his cheek repeatedly. “My beautiful, beautiful Alfred. You can’t begin to fathom how ecstatic this makes me” He clung to Alfred’s shoulders as if the human was a life line and he was drowning. “I will do whatever you wish. Oh, this is the best present I have ever gotten.”

Alfred laughed in embarrassment and patted Herbert’s hair for a lack of better actions. “So you won’t…” he paused and searched his brain for the least humiliating formulation, “do what you did when I was sick again? Promise?”

Herbert lifted his head off Alfred’s chest where he had pressed his face in joy. “Cross my heart and hope to die again. Not without your express permission,” he blew the human a kiss and smiled cheekily.

Alfred was sure he would never give him permission to do any of that again, but then again, he had also been sure he could never like a man  _ like that _ , or trust a vampire, or go to a ball with the Viscount of his own volition. The castle surely held a lot of surprises. “Herbert, thank you.” Quietly he murmured into the Viscount’s hair, “I enjoyed this a lot.” 

Herbert didn’t let on that he had heard, just smiling into the fabric of Alfred’s shirt, letting the human believe in his secrecy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know that I technically skipped the invitation to the ball in the first story but so help me, I will go down with the idea of a gay couple at the ball.
> 
> (best regards to my boyfriend whom I would have taken to the ball last year of the apocalypse hadn't happened)
> 
> Balls are just a special kind of heaven for me and if Alfred doesn't accept it in his shy nature, i will reap havoc


End file.
